Mexican parties agree to restart talks for economic reforms

MEXICO CITY

MEXICO CITY May 7 Mexico's main opposition
parties said on Tuesday they would restart talks with the
government on economic reforms after last month accusing the
ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) of trying to buy
votes in a local election.

At an event with President Enrique Pena Nieto, the
opposition leaders said they had agreed on a series of measures
with the PRI to uphold a pact to cooperate on economic reform.

Talks had stalled between the parties after a row in April
over leaked video recordings showing members of the PRI
advocating the use of Social Development Ministry funds to buy
votes in the Gulf state of Veracruz.

Veracruz is one of 14 states that will hold local elections
on July 7, and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said
the parties had agreed that steps will be taken to stop public
funds from being used to influence elections, along with various
other measures.

The leaders of the leftist Party of the Democratic
Revolution (PRD) and the conservative National Action Party
(PAN) signed a pact with Pena Nieto to work together on economic
reforms just after he took office in December.

The so-called "Pact for Mexico" has been the cornerstone of
Pena Nieto's efforts to promote reform, notably with major bills
to improve the education system and to bring more competition
into Mexico's closed phone and television markets.

"The pact cannot be a hostage of the elections," said Cesar
Camacho, chairman of the PRI, which has no majority in Congress.

This year Pena Nieto still hopes to pass a sweeping overhaul
of state oil monopoly Pemex and a comprehensive re-organization
of the tax system to boost weak revenues.
(Reporting by Dave Graham and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Vicki
Allen)